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After massive storm, Portland looks to better manage flash flooding

More rain fell in Portland the night of Aug. 13, 2014, then ever before in the city’s recorded history, overwhelming the city’s pipes and filling basements with buckets' worth of sewage. Nearly a year later, city leaders are in the midst of making sure it does not happen again.

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Updated: 6:19 PM EDT Jul 22, 2015

After massive storm, Portland looks to better manage flash flooding

More rain fell in Portland the night of Aug. 13, 2014, then ever before in the city’s recorded history, overwhelming the city’s pipes and filling basements with buckets' worth of sewage. Nearly a year later, city leaders are in the midst of making sure it does not happen again.

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Updated: 6:19 PM EDT Jul 22, 2015

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WEBVTT TOTAL LOOK AT THE FORECAST INJUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES.STEVE:ON AUGUST 13, 2014, MORERAIN FELL IN PORTLAND IN ONE DAYTHAN EVER BEFORE IN CITYHISTORY, OVERWHELMING THE PIPES.SEWAGE FILLED BASEMENTS.CITY LEADERS WERE LEFT WITH ADILEMMA TO FIX IT.HERE IS DAVID CHARNS.DAVID:THE FLOOD WATERS HAVERECEDED FROM PARK AVENUE, BUTHAUNTING IMAGES REMAIN IN THEMINDS OF VICTIMS WHOSE CARS WERESUBMERGED WITH FEET OF WATER ANDWHOSE BASEMENT HAD INCHES OFSEWAGE.IT WAS AN ANOMALY.I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKETHAT.AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WATERIN THE CITY.MORE THAN SIX INCHES OFRAIN INJUST AN HOUR.IT IS AN EVENT THAT ONLY HAPPENS100 YEARS.I CAME IN AND LOOKED AT BOXESAND BOXES THAT WERE SOAKED.DAVID: THOUSANDS OF COMICSDRENCHED.SAVING WHAT THEY COULD, NOT EVENA TACK -- TASK FOR AQUAMAN.IT WAS UGLY.AND THERE WAS A RAT IN THETOILET.DAVID: GALLAGHER'SSTORE ISHOOKED UP TO THE WASTEWATERSYSTEM.THAT LED TO INCHES OF WATER ANDSEWAGE ON THE FLOOR AND 9000COMICS IN THE DUMPSTER.YOU CAN SEE THE BOXES IN THEBASEMENT.TO PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE, HE ISRAISING THE BOXES OFF THE GROUNDWITH BEVERAGE CRATES.HE IS ALSO BETTING ON THE CITYTO MAKE SURE DOES NOT HAPPEN.SIX INCHES OF WATER IS ANINCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WATER.DAVID: MIKE BABINSKI IS THEPUBLIC SERVICE DIRECTOR.HE SAYS LAST AUGUST, THEY WENTINTO HIGH GEAR.ARE WE SEEING MORE OF THE ONEINCH STORMS AND INTENSITIES?I THINK WE ARE.DAVID: PART OF THE WORK ALREADYDONE, INSTALLATION OF STORAGETANKS BY THE BACK COVE.EACH CAN HOLD ONE MILLIONGALLONS OF SEWAGE AND STORMWATER.OTHER PROJECTS INCLUDESEPARATING THE STORM LINES ONCOMMERCIAL STREET SO WHENRAINFALL IS THE SYSTEM, IT DOESNOT BACK UP INTO YOUR BASEMENT.BUT MIKE SAYS BUILDING ANINFRASTRUCTURE TO PREPARE FOR ASTORM LIKE THIS IS NOT GOING TOHAPPEN.THE SIZE OF THE PIPES FORTHAT IS NOT PRACTICAL.IF WE RECEIVED ANOTHER STORM,YOU WILL SEE FLOODING.DAVID: GALLAGHER HOPES FLOODINGIS NOT IN HIS STORE.EVERY INCH OF WATER COULD MEANFEWER PRODUCTS FOR CUSTOMERS.EVERY TIME IT RAINS, I CHECK.DAVID: THERE IS ONE THING YOUCAN DO TO HELP -- REMOVE THEROOF DRAIN.IT WILL PUT LESS WATER INTO THE

After massive storm, Portland looks to better manage flash flooding

More rain fell in Portland the night of Aug. 13, 2014, then ever before in the city’s recorded history, overwhelming the city’s pipes and filling basements with buckets' worth of sewage. Nearly a year later, city leaders are in the midst of making sure it does not happen again.